So as of today, 220 of you were kind enough to vote on what you thought were the 10 most important questions from the list that we generated at Educon. Here are the “winners” at the moment:
- How do we support the changing role of teacher? 116
- What is the role of the teacher? 110
- How do we help students discover their passions? 110
- What is the essential learning that schools impart to students? 109
- What is the purpose of school? 102
- How do we adapt our curriculum to the technologies that kids are already using? 100
- What does and educated person look like today? 97
- How do we change policy to support more flexible time and place learning? 97
- What are the essential practices of teachers in a system where students are learning outside of school? 92
- How do we ensure those without privilege have equal access to quality education and opportunity? 92
And here were the next three that didn’t quite make the cut:
- What is preventing us from being adaptable to change? 79
- How do you validate or evaluate informal learning? 77
- How do we measure or assess the effectiveness of individualized self-directed learning outside of school? 68
You can see the complete results here. I think it’s kind of interesting what didn’t get many votes. Obviously, few of us think physical space schools are going away anytime soon. And there doesn’t seem to be too much worry about the level of commitment schools have to kids. No doubt, the wording of some of these could probably have been better, I’m sure, but I think these 10 capture the challenges pretty well.
So what next?
The “plan” I proposed for this last week was to tackle each of these questions individually in a blog post and ask for comments to extend whatever thin thinking I threw at it with the eventual goal of “crowdsourcing” or collaboratively writing a response to each one. (And let me be clear, I’m talking crowdsourcing the response in the way Wikipedia does it.) If we’re really game, we might put this together in some form that could serve as a conversation starter for schools willing to tackle some of these “big” questions in their own planning for change process. Maybe even publish it as a book on Lulu.
So I’m wondering two things: First, what your reactions are to this list, and second, what are your thoughts on how we can turn this into something more “actionable?”
Will, I love brainstorming, don’t get me wrong. But as a classroom teacher, I think I’m more consumed by the “small questions”-daily stuff. Not that the list isn’t important to Education. Not that the list doesn’t impact daily stuff we do in the classroom. So, I’m gonna put off #8-10.
But, I’ll play. Here are some thoughts on some items:
#1-2 are addressed pretty well in If We Didn’t Have the Schools We Have Today, Would We Create the Schools We Have Today? by Thomas G. Carroll.
#3 is secretly pursued by master teachers–I just don’t think it has ever been institutionalized by public ed., esp. in this NCLB high-stakes testing world.
#4 Wow. Essential learning. That debate is raging daily, right? What skills are timeless, what are “new” and necessary in the 21st Century and beyond. My school is slugging this one out right now…
#5 Schools still have a role in “setting the course” (curriculum). We still need expert learners to help establish scope, sequence, and pace for less experienced ones…it can be collaborative.
#6 Should be modified-how do we modify pedagogy and curriculum to tech…
#7 educated for what end? Does this one get folded into #4?
Thanks for the mind candy.
DW
I’ll respond to the actionable part…the potential ways I could see this working out:
Pick a topic a week, have a collaborative work space where people submit research, ideas, writing. A team of people would be identified as editors and collaborate to bring the collaborative work space into a more consumable format. After the editing work has been done, the proposed ‘chapter’ then goes out to the large group for comment/critique and so on. It could be ready/done by the end of the school year on that time frame.
or.
Have all of the work happening at once (over, lets say, a month or two) but identify a person or group of people that was the ‘lead’ on each of the topics to facilitate the space and conversation happening around it.
I think one of the challenges will be representing diverse voices in the process. Is this going to be about what most people think or about the tapestry of divergent voices/ideas on the subject? Question #4 alone, will provide an enormous amount of discussion, what is the best way to approach something that is bound to be a bit debatable. How does one arrive at consensus in the twitter/blogo’sphere?
I think this has enormous potential. In writing this we need to remember to recognize the power of evidence, research, successful examples as part of the process. Bringing together a compendium of resources would be one nice result of the project. In addition, I feel that the writing would be incredibly useful as an online text, using embedded links throughout the writing.
ok. that’s my take… will be interested to see the proposal for forward motion. Let me know if I can be of help.
Re: the last line…don’t you worry about that. ;0)
This is really similar to the way I was thinking about it, esp. with someone serving as an “editorial lead” on each of the topics. And I think we need space for dissent on any of this, a place that allows anyone to push back against the “final” draft.
Thanks for chiming in, Diana.
Will,
Thanks for taking such a leadership role in attempting to turn the conversations at Educon into actionable items.
I’m not sure any of the top 10 can be discussed without first defining #5, the purpose of school. This is the crux of the conversation. If we can define the role of school, and do so in such a way as to allow the cultural flexibility needed to meet changing global demands, then I think we are on to something.
As I travel across New Hampshire and share with educators the possibilities that exist when we allow students to explore interests and passions through “Extended Learning Opportunities” through our virtual school, I often find that what holds us back is our collective lack of imagination. So often, school leaders project their institutional limitations on to innovative, student-centered programs. I say that not necessarily as a criticism of educational leaders, but more to the point that as a culture, we often allow the institution of school to get in the way of its purpose. That may be because we are beginning to merge the two as we think of schools more as institutions and less as opportunities for individuals students. Perhaps if we more clearly define its purpose, we can then rebuild the “institution” in a way that more clearly supports that purpose.
I think you’re right, Tony…that is one big lens that much of the rest will be seen through. We’re all going to have to become comfortable with the idea, also, that whatever purpose we assign to school today, that purpose is probably going to shift in a year or so. It’s not going to be as easily defined as in the past.
I agree with Tony’s notion of starting with the purpose of school. Is it possible to cast a wide net for ideas? But will it be important to capture a common vision? Or will we all be OK with a flexible definition. I agree with Will that it is definitely a moving target right now.
Looking forward to this project. Very excited about hearing everyone’s voices.
Are we asking the right question? What is the purpose of school?
Or, can a question be added? What is the purpose of learning?
“School” and “learning” might be seen a distinct and different in purpose.
Thoughts?
I have always thought the purpose of schools would be universal, but I am beginning to rethink that position. Is it possible that each school needs to define its role in its community? I guarantee my purpose for educating the students at my school is different than at many others.
Maybe the biggest fault we have with these questions is that we might expect one answer to fit all schools.
I believe that all the other questions are dependent on the purpose of school. I have been struggling with this notion about the meaning, purpose, goal of school, education and learning. I do not think they are the same thing. Understanding and defining these concepts will frame how we respond to the other questions. Ofter we are working out solutions, to what we perceive are the same problems but are really seeing the problems completely differently. I find we are often working at cross purposes.
So, if I may join in… if the purpose of school is a starting point and touchstone, that big lens through which we envision the rest of what we’re discussing, then is the question “What are our goals as a society for our children?” or something along those lines an important related question? I don’t want to distract from the main purpose, but it strikes me these questions are somehow connected and it might be helpful to think of them in tandem.
Thanks for the comment, Bill. I’m wondering if that goes beyond the scope, important a question as it is. Certainly, “school” still plays a big role in the goals we collectively have for our children, but I think we have goals that extend beyond school as well, right? Are we ok with just looking at the piece that school has or will be expected to deal with?
Thanks for your gentle reaction, Will. 🙂 figured I’d bring it up, just in case. I do happen to think that society’s goals for children are inextricably bound up with society’s expectations of schools. That said, though, I would have wanted to focus on the school part under any circumstances, so your suggestion works well for me.
I look forward to examining these questions and seeing what kind of actionable document we generate. Thanks again!
It would be a little overwhelming to tackle these questions all at once. It will be more productive in my opinion to work on one question at a time.
I’m looking forward to this crowdsourced conversation, and thank you to Will for providing a forum. The same people who responded the survey and many more will weigh in on these questions. It will probably easier to compile the main ideas in a wiki-like forum than through comments on a blog.
A unified reaction to any of these questions is unlikely, and it should be easy to find some people who can mashup the main reponses to each question.
This is a great way to keep up the Educon conversations.
Agreed on the one at a time. And I’m thinking it might be interesting to have an Elluminate session for each one to kind of kick it off. Hmmmm…..
What I found most interesting that of the top ten questions the word technology was mentioned only once. This means that we are questioning learning and hence teaching. I like this because changing teaching practice is actionable and has direct impact upon student engagement and achievement. I think it is also less daunting to educators who hear “technology” and become fearful.
So ultimately it comes down to how to effectively change teacher practice? and what would that look like? How do we know this is successful? How to build upon these successes? Being Canadian, I think these questions will have very different responses to those of educators in American schools. I am interested to hear more.
I noticed that too, Deb. But there’s no question that technology is what is driving a lot of this. At what point to we tell teachers to “cowboy up” and deal with their fears for the sake of the learning? Another thread, I know… ;0)
Actually, Will, although this is another thread, your question resonates with me more than almost any of the “bigger” questions. Technology IS at the heart of what’s to come, what will make learning “real” in the years and decades to come. What is an educated person? Well, one answer may be: “Someone who pursues learning on both practical and metacognitive levels, and someone who shapes his or her own learning through means that he or she defines and masters.” If this is the case, that learners will become increasingly self-directed and education will become increasingly personalized and technology-based, shouldn’t we be screaming at the top of our lungs for teachers to stop living in the past and get on board with what’s already happening? Someone needs to point out to these teachers that they will be obsolete if they continue to teach with blinders on.
However, I think the range of ideas indicates that we are on the cusp on thinking about teaching changing. There isn’t mention of event technology teaching in the list, perhaps this is indicative of a shift in thinking? Perhaps one where technology might be considered a seamless part of effective instruction? Although there are days when I wish I could just say come on just do it! I don’t think this would be the most effective way of moving folks forwards. It’s convincing the fence sitters to make the shift and this needs to be done when system leaders recognize the importance of changing what professional learning looks like for educators and demand that this changes. Teachers need to walk the walk, so do system leaders.
Will,
The list is interesting. I love the questions and look forward to everyone’s thoughts. I was also disappointed that we won’t be discussing physical space and I agree that maybe for many of us, it seems challenging to change the spaces we have. I am hoping that as new schools are constructed that educators and architects can think beyond what is recognized as learning spaces.
I think a question at a time would be the better way to go OR maybe group a few questions together. Numbers 1, 2 and 9 seem to go together. Numbers 3, 4 and 6 seem related. If we were to group a few of the questions together by rewording them to capture the essence of a few questions, would that give us the opportunity to bring in a few more questions/topics? Just thinking.
Thanks, Will, for leading this discussion. I see a huge potential.
I really like the idea of an open format to discuss the 10 topics above. What Diana says,
“I think one of the challenges will be representing diverse voices in the process.” I think is key. We all have different experiences of school, and many cannot even conceive what school is like for those in different settings. It is crucial that we do not marginalize those students who are less fortunate. Students in an urban or rural setting with low SES may need different considerations than those in a more affluent setting. Or, perhaps this new idea of school will remove the distinction lines. Looking forward to the conversations and the research base that will be available as a result of this project. Thanks.
AL
I’ve been thinking….
The list of original questions was huge and some questions overlapped. Maybe that is why some of them got fewer votes.
For example, if we were to consider the topic of the changing landscape of learning, we could include several of the questions such as:
What is preventing us from being adaptable to change?
If some percentage of schooling is socialization and relationship building, how would that happen outside of school?
How are we going to shift the expectations for schools from all of our constituents?
How do we change policy to support more flexible time and place learning?
How does our thinking of the physical space change?
Do we really need a physical space?
How do we ensure that every child has access to learning opportunities outside of school?
How do we ensure those without privilege have equal access to quality education and opportunity?
How do we become better equipped, both as individuals and as systems, to deal with change?
What is preventing us from being adaptable to change?
What risks are we willing to accept?
What is our obligation to collaborate with other systems going through similar changes?
How do we validate or evaluate informal learning?
Who is going to pay for equity of access to these environments?
Maybe our discussion could involve many more of the questions if we were to step back and group them in some way. Just thinking….
So here are my few thoughts on this topic. I’m currently teaching in a school that is very actively trying to move in the direction implied by even being interested in answering these questions. We are currently reading and discussing many of these same topics that are covered by these questions (with a little less global perspective since we are mostly looking at what we specifically are doing rather than how to influence all of the edusphere – though hopefully it will go that way soon).
ANYWAY, my big question with all of this is how do we continue to work on answers to these questions while simultaneously beginning to make the changes in our daily lives at school. In other words, how do we move from just talking about it to actually doing it? We will never fully define any of this as it is always changing by its very nature. So how do we successfully build our wings on the way down so we don’t end up either on the giant trash-heap of well intentioned but failing educational reform OR forever standing on the cliff talking about how nice it could be?
Just where my head is.
So if this does come to fruition as kind of a road map type document, maybe there is an extra piece that focuses on process with questions like your included. Just noting the idea here…
Will,
I love the idea of moving this conversation into some sort of action.
What I’m also thinking–if I were in a school and this sort of discussion and assistance was available to me, what I’d want is really some “guided” questions. So I’m wondering what we could do to make this really useful as a discussion starter as well?
I think it will be hugely helpful to crowdsource OUR responses but I also think each school/person has to figure it out for themselves, so developing some “subquestions” or some socratic questions around each one above as part of our collective work seems really important to me. Does that make sense?
I agree that working one question at a time might make the most sense, and it would be a real “unifier” of our voices.
By the way, I wonder if there were enough votes yet to consider it crowdsourcing yet?
And secondly, I wonder if it would be okay to have an ancillary question about physical spaces….as in this leads to that question? I think that is hugely important to address.
My two cents worth, anyway!
I’m very excited about this idea of moving the conversation forward and seeing everyone’s contributions! (and publishing it as well.)
Was totally thinking about that guided questions thing as well. If we really want this to be a planning document for schools, that would be essential.
Thanks for the enthusiasm… ;0)
Um, I am in a school..lol. That didn’t quite sound right 😉
I think that making this discussion actionable is a great idea. In terms of logistics, I personally think that addressing the questions individually may be more manageable.
I wonder if some of the questions lend themselves to input from people outside of the education community. I think it might be very interesting to learn what business leaders think about the purpose of schools.
I look forward to participating!
Next logical step is to place these questions in order. If they are tackled one per week then everyone will have the opportunity to crowdsource it.
I have a paid subscription to Basecamp ( http://basecamphq.com/). I would be glad to open it up and invite everyone to get involved. Let me know if this is something that interests you. This is a great example of what Google Wave can tackle for us but not everyone has an account yet.
Rich let me know if you want to setup a Basecam project.
Thanks for that offer Roderick. I’m thinking we’ll probably go the wiki route, but it’s nice to have that alternative.
Hello Will –
I feel like I am just jumping into something I am not completely up to speed on (missed EduCon and most of the discussion – just swamped here). I find the list and potential for making it actionable intriguing. I will have to ponder a bit more on the whole list. One quick thought regarding #8 – I think that piece is critical. One previous comment discussed contributors using evidence, research, etc to support the discussions. I think if that were done, tackling the policy change aspect will be possible. Perhaps after some of the initial work is completed, subgroups can take on various responsibilities in moving things to action- and a group that may feel particularly adept at making inroads with those who develop/impact policy-decisions – could pursue that piece.
This all sounds very promising and very exciting! I will stay tuned.
In thinking of the future(now), we’d be wise to take a hard look at the past; and not just in terms of “how education has changed” but more in terms of “how education has changed in response to broader cultural changes”… things like the use of a lingua franca in education in the wake of the collapse of Rome; the ongoing alterations between teachers as independent contractors (Stoics, Peripatetics, online tutors) and teachers as “faculties”; ways education responded to the printing press, Industrialization, the exponential growth of urban centers, Globalization.
That’s not to slight any of the question posed. Rather, I think the questions are exactly the right ones. But I do think that if we’re going to address education in the context of a global shift (and the ways that the global shift effects every single classroom regardless of place, size, demographic), then we need to address the historical nature of shifts and think about what our predecessors in education did in response and why or whether those reactions made sense and what in hindsight they could suggest to us now.
Because though the ways in which these questions may be approached has changed, the questions themselves are certainly questions that have been asked by educators and thinkers from Socrates to Dewey. I’d argue that part of our job in looking forward, then, has to include a recognition that paradigm shift — even on the scale of what we’re dealing with right now — isn’t in and of itself something new; and that there’s a lot to be learned for those with an interest in the shift in education by looking more carefully at the nature of shift itself from the historical perspective.
– Shelly
Thanks Shelly,
No doubt some context is important. I’ve been wondering, and may have added it above, whether or not having a “this is the way it was/is” part and then “this is the way it will be” part (for as much as we can predict the future). I worry that what you suggest, important as it is, goes beyond the scope of this idea, or at least what I can conceive of being manageable in my feeble little brain. ;0)
Shelly,
I feel like my thinking is on the cusp of an aha moment. I believe that change is about to happen. Though I wonder what we are changing into. Some seem sure they know the direction we are headed or should head, I do not. I myself have embarked on a study of the past. I need to see where we have been, and why the system changed over time and the forces that influenced the change. Just as we all do not all have the same understanding of what is the purpose/goal of school, education and learning. We do not all agree on the direction change should take. Maybe this process can help clarify for us the direction we are headed.
Hello Mr. Richardson –
As someone who stumbled across this discussion on the web, I am very much looking forward to following this discussion and participating if possible (unfortunately I missed EduCon).
The Montessori Secondary School program I was trained in takes the application of pedagogy to the classroom very seriously. The program was developed over the last 20 years so it is a fairly modern re-imagining of what secondary schooling should be, particularly since it was created by people coming from a very constructivist perspective. Even so, the introduction of technology into this program has been extremely cautious. I, however, use a lot of technology in my classroom, so I’m very curious to see the outcome of this discussion.
I have to say I love question number 7. It just seemed to stand out to me. It seems as though we judge today an educated person as the sophisticated look with a high degree from some accredited college. But if we look deeper into today’s most successful entrepreneurs and contributors to society so many of them have GED’s or did not even attend college. SO why is it we assume educated relates to a college degree? Why do we teach our students that it is the only road to take in life?